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The Journey of Wind Power in India
Wind energy is rapidly emerging as a key
component of India's renewable energy strategy, playing a vital role in the
country’s efforts to meet its ambitious climate and energy goals. With an
established annual wind manufacturing capacity of 10-12 GW, India has
positioned itself as a global leader.
By the end of 2022, India's total renewable
energy capacity reached 121 GW, with wind energy contributing 35%. In 2023, India saw a 56% increase in wind installations, adding 2.8 GW
of new capacity, bringing the cumulative wind capacity to 44.7 GW by December
2023, up from 41.9 GW at the close of 2022. The nation aims to expand its
wind energy capacity to 140 GW by 2030.
India's journey in wind power development began in 1986 with an initial installation of 55 kW in the coastal regions of Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu. By 2024, the country is projected to generate approximately 15,000 MW annually. Today, India ranks fourth globally in installed wind capacity, standing alongside developed nations like Germany, the UK, and the USA. The emphasis on energy security and self-sufficiency positions India for a strong future in wind energy. Currently, wind energy accounts for 10% of the nation's installed utility power generation capacity. During the fiscal year 2022–2023, wind energy produced 71.814 TWh, representing about 4.43% of India’s total electricity generation. The National Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE) has established over 800 wind-monitoring stations across the country, underscoring the government's commitment to this growing sector.
Harnessing the Winds of Change: India’s Strategic Push for Wind Power
With its vast population and significant electricity demand, India is making a determined shift towards renewable energy,
with wind power playing a central role. Despite being the world's second-most
populous nation, India is creating consumer-friendly green energy solutions and
attracting substantial international investment. In the fiscal year 2022-23, India’s electricity
consumption totaled 1,504.26 billion units (BU). Despite these challenges,
India is making strides in promoting green electricity and enhancing its consumer accessibility.
India's policies and financial incentives have made it more and more receptive to foreign investment. Here are a few noteworthy advancements:
Liberal Investment
Policies: India's open policy framework permits a hundred percent foreign
direct investment (FDI) in the renewable energy sector.
International Cooperation: The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)
has published a report on how accessible financing might quicken the energy
transition in collaboration with the Indian G20 Presidency.
IREDA Expansion: To help with foreign exchange finance for renewable energy
projects, the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) opened an
office in Gift City, Gujarat.
Major Projects and Investments: Tata Power has been contracted by the
Maharashtra State Power Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) to construct a 300
MW wind-solar hybrid power plant. Furthermore, the UAE possesses.
Growth of FDI and
Global Ranking: In the fiscal year 2023–2024, foreign direct investment (FDI)
in India's renewable energy sector reached $3.76 billion (₹315.84 billion), up
50% from the previous year. According to the "Renewable Energy Country
Attractiveness Index" (RECAI), which ranks the top 40 international
markets for investments in renewable energy, India has taken third place.
EU Support for Offshore Wind: To help offshore wind energy in India through
resource mapping, policy guidance, capacity building, infrastructure
assessment, and technical and policy partnerships for a successful development path
through 2032, the European Union has initially awarded €4 million to the FOWIND
project.
Could India Achieve 100% Renewable Energy?
The answer might be yes. The Indian government has prioritized green energy use and launched many programs to encourage its uptake. Significant private businesses are also essential to the nation's renewable energy movement.
The use of green power is being extensively promoted by electricity companies.
Tata Power and Adani Electricity have launched programs in Mumbai that let
consumers choose green rates that provide 100% renewable energy.
According to Tata Power, 27,000 consumers
have already switched, supplying 270 million kWh of green electricity and
reducing 200,000 tons of carbon emissions annually.
According to Adani Electricity, more than 12 million residences and commercial buildings—or 3 million entities—were fueled only by clean, renewable energy sources for four hours.
A statement detailing the Wind Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) trend
through 2030 has also been released by the government, along with many
important policies, such as:
· A waiver of Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS) fees for solar and wind energy projects that begin operations by 2025.
· Rules for competitive bidding for purchasing electricity from grid-connected wind power projects based on tariffs.
With the help of these steps, the bidding process will have a transparent
framework, procedures will be standardized, and the roles and duties of
different stakeholders will be made obvious.
Most importantly, the government's focus on
reducing greenhouse gases and air pollution, along with cutting costs, has
underscored wind energy as the most affordable option. In Gujarat, prices hit a
record low of ₹2.43 per unit in 2017, an 8% decrease from the previous low of
₹2.64. This trend continued with a new low tariff of ₹2.91 per kWh recorded in
2023.
Top Three Leading Wind Farms in India 2024
Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu currently host the largest and most significant wind power plants in India.
#1.Muppandal Wind Farm
The Muppandal Wind Farm, located near Muppandal village in the Kanniyakumari district, Tamil Naru, is India's largest onshore wind farm, with an installed capacity of approximately 1,500 MW. It comprises numerous wind turbines ranging from 200 kilowatts (KW) to 1,650 KW, with average heights of 50-80 feet. Established in 1986, this wind farm has been in operation for nearly 38 years, making it one of the oldest in India.
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| Muppandal Wind Farm India | Photo: Stock |
Over the past three decades, this region in southern India, which accounts for about 25 percent of the country's total installed wind power capacity of 40.12 gigawatts (GW), has undergone significant transformation. These wind farms have not only created thousands of green jobs and boosted local incomes but also opened new opportunities and contributed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
#2. Jaisalmer Wind Park
The Jaisalmer Wind Park, situated in the Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan in Western India, is the second-largest wind farm in the country and the fourth-largest operational onshore wind farm in the world, with a capacity of 1,064 MW. Developed by Suzlon in August 2001, the project incorporated Suzlon’s entire turbine portfolio available at the time, ranging from the earliest 350 kW model to the S111 – 2.1 MW series.
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| Jaisalmer Wind Park, Rajasthan | Photo: Stock |
The project’s clientele includes a diverse mix of private independent power utility providers and producers, as well as both private and public sector companies like Rajasthan State Mines and Minerals, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation, and CLP India.
#3. Kutch Wind Power Project
Located in the Kutch region of Gujarat, the Kutch Wind Power Project comprises 150 wind turbines, each with a capacity of 2 MW. With a total installed capacity of 300 MW, the project produces approximately 700,000 MWh of clean energy annually.
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| Kutch Wind Power Project | Photo: Stock |
The environmental impact of the Kutch Wind Power Project is substantial. By generating clean, renewable energy, the project plays a crucial role in reducing India’s dependence on fossil fuels and cutting greenhouse gas emissions. It is estimated that the project prevents the release of over 550,000 metric tons of CO2 equivalents each year—equivalent to taking more than 117,000 cars off the road.
Gujarat's leadership in wind power has been recognized by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). As of May 2024, Gujarat ranks first among Indian states with 11,823 MW of installed wind power capacity, solidifying its position as the nation’s leader in wind energy installations.
Offshore Wind Energy in India
Offshore wind became a major driver of global growth after 2023, witnessing the second-highest annual installations and key policy developments that laid the groundwork for rapid industry expansion over the next decade. With 2023 being the second-best year ever for the global offshore wind industry, a total of 75 GW of offshore wind capacity was in operation worldwide by the year's end. India is keen on offshore wind; many developed countries called offshore wind champions have expressed interest in working with India.
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| Offshore wind farm, Netherlands | Photo: Getty |
A significant milestone in the implementation of the National Offshore Wind Energy Policy, initially introduced in 2015, is about to unfold. On Wednesday, June 19, 2024, the Indian cabinet approved the procedures and framework for the country's first offshore wind farms. The government has committed approximately $819 million to fund the development of these two wind farms under the Viability Gap Funding (VGF) scheme, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed as a major step toward achieving India’s offshore and renewable energy goals.
The plan includes the construction of two wind farms, each with a capacity of around 500 MW. One will be located in Gujarat on India’s west coast, in the Arabian Sea, supplying power to the region north of Mumbai. The second wind farm will be situated in the Bay of Bengal, near the southeastern tip of the peninsula in Tamil Nadu, which extends from the city of Chennai in the north to the strait separating India and Sri Lanka. The development of these wind farms is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by 2.98 million tons over 25 years.
India, with its 7,600 km coastline and surrounding waters on three sides, has significant potential for harnessing offshore wind energy. The country’s offshore wind industry master plan sets an ambitious target of 37 GW of wind energy capacity, backed by a projected investment of over $53 billion to drive the sector’s development.
Can India Rapidly Ramp Up Renewable Energy to Outpace Coal?
India's ambitious energy goals face a significant challenge: transitioning from a heavy reliance on coal to a sustainable future driven by renewable energy. While the country has made considerable progress in expanding solar and wind energy, the pace of this expansion needs to accelerate to meet both climate commitments and rising energy demands. Key factors such as infrastructure development, policy support, and financial investment will be crucial in determining whether India can achieve a rapid and meaningful shift from coal to renewable energy.
India has already made remarkable progress in the renewable energy sector, bolstered by foreign investment, strategic initiatives, government legislation, and technological advancements. The country's leadership has set concrete goals, including ensuring that 50% of its energy comes from renewable sources by 2030 and pledging to generate 175 GW of renewable power by 2022. Notably, India surpassed the 100 GW milestones (excluding large hydro) in 2021.
By 2023, India's installed renewable energy capacity reached 176 GW, accounting for over 37% of the nation’s total energy production, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). However, this achievement is juxtaposed with the planned addition of 13.9 GW of new coal-fired power plants in the same year—the highest annual increase in coal capacity in six years.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has emphasized the need for energy security, citing growing electricity demand and low per capita emissions as reasons to maintain India's high reliance on coal. In 2023 alone, India added 4 GW of coal-fired power, the most since 2019. With coal currently generating 71% of India’s thermal energy, the country's energy landscape remains heavily coal-dependent.
Coal-fired output rose by 14.7% year-on-year, surpassing the growth rate of renewable energy output for the first time since at least 2019. While green energy output is expected to grow by 12.2% in 2023, the planned growth of coal-fired capacity in 2024 is projected to exceed the renewable capacity growth of 13 GW.
The Indian power ministry plans to add at least 53.6 GW of coal-fired power capacity by March 2032, in addition to the 26.4 GW currently under construction. This highlights the ongoing challenge of balancing coal dependence with the transition to renewable energy.
The question remains: can India accelerate its renewable energy expansion enough to outpace its coal dependency and lead the global transition to a greener future?
India's Leadership in Clean Energy: Paving the Way for a Sustainable Future
In conclusion, India has established itself
as a leader in the global renewable energy market, surpassing its targets and
positioning itself for even greater success in the coming years. Challenges
such as grid integration and storage capacity are being actively addressed
through government initiatives, inspiring other nations to follow suit. As India
continues to advance in the renewable energy sector, it is poised to play a
pivotal role in the global transition towards a sustainable energy future.
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